Long live Donda West. Ye (formerly Kanye West) was back home in Chicago on Tuesday (Sept. 22) to attend a ceremony for an honorary street renaming for his late mother, Donda West, who passed away in 2007.

East 78th Street in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, near where West was raised, was renamed to Dr. Donda West Way. Ye didn’t speak at the ceremony, but did the official unveiling of the honorary street sign.

“Dr. Donda West was not only a scholar — she was a builder of people, a cultivator of talent, and a champion for Black creativity and intellectual excellence,” said 7th Ward Alderman Greg Mitchell, who served as the master of ceremonies on the South Side. “For nearly three decades at Chicago State University, Dr. West shaped minds and opened doors.”

Plenty of Yeezy’s close friends and longtime collaborators were in attendance, including designer Don C, Rhymefest, GLC and Really Doe.

Dr. West was the chair of the English Department and a professor at Chicago State University, where she founded the Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing.

Donda West and Ye had a tight-knit mother-son bond, while his mother helped guide and supported Yeezy on his way to rap stardom. She also inspired Ye’s catalog fan favorites like “Hey Mama” and “Only One.” His Billboard 200 chart leader from 2021, Donda, is named after his mom.

Donda West passed away at 58 years old in November 2007. West had coronary artery disease and died due to a combination of the pre-existing illness and post-operative complications a day after having cosmetic surgery.

Ye released his Bully album in March, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. He’s been touring across the globe with spot dates throughout 2026. He’ll return to the stage on Oct. 24 in Indonesia before heading to Houston on Halloween.

Watch the ceremony honoring Donda West below.

John Farnham was the man of honor for an all-star concert Sunday night (Sept. 20) in Melbourne, but Chris Martin almost stole the show.

The Coldplay frontman appeared remotely with an original song written for the legendary Australian singer. The last time Australians got a chance to see Martin up close was in 2024, when the British band played to more than 700,000 fans on the Australasian leg of their Music of the Spheres stadium tour.

For his spot on Farnham’s big night, Martin stripped it right down. Playing an acoustic guitar, Martin delivered a surprise number that was both self-deprecating and deferential to two great Australians, the late cricketing great Shane Warne and Farnham.

“Seventeen years ago in Melbourne, my friend Shane said to me: ‘There’s been a bloody big bushfire. It’s something you should see,’” Martin sings, in video posted by TEG Dainty, co-producers of the event.

“’I’m going in up to Kinglake to check on how they are and I made us a mixtape, we can listen in the car.

“And I really do love Coldplay. I love Coldplay, it’s true. But my favorite is John Farnham, he’s a better singer than you.”

It’s true, Martin admitted.

“Well thank you John, thank you John, I think you’re really great. You made me get much closer to my cricket playing mate,” he continues. “Well thank you John, oh thank you John, one day we’ll all be gone. But the thing about John Farnham songs is that they’ll keep living on.”

Martin was one of more than 120 artists and musicians who performed at the sold-out Rod Laver Arena for The Songs Of John Farnham: A Living Legend – The Celebration Concert, produced by Cochrane Entertainment and TEG Dainty.

Other performers included Vanessa Amorosi, Tina Arena, Jimmy Barnes, Kate Ceberano, Diesel, Human Nature, Jack Jones, Richard Marx, Jessica Mauboy, Keith Urban, Mark Vincent and Ross Wilson, with Celine Dion and Hugh Jackman delivering remote performances.

Sadly, Farnham, whose 1986 album Whispering Jack was the first homegrown LP to shift more than 1 million copies in Australia, and which is considered to this day to be the best-selling domestic record in these parts, was unable to attend due to deteriorating health.

The concert was a fundraising and awareness platform for Head and Neck Cancer Australia, and beamed into HOYTS cinemas nationwide, shifting more than 23,000 tickets.

“Demand for the live broadcast was incredible, with sessions selling out rapidly, additional screenings were added to accommodate the response from fans,” says HOYTS general manager of programming and content Michelle Gater.

Details of an encore season will be announced soon, reps say.

Watch Chris Martin’s performance below and here.

Gary “Angry” Anderson, the feisty frontman of Rose Tattoo, one of the hardest-rocking bands to emerge from Australia in the 1970s, has died at the age of 79.

“It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Gary ‘Angry’ Anderson on the eve of Monday 21 September 2026, surrounded by his loved ones here in Australia,” reads a statement from Rose Tattoo.

Anderson had suffered a heart attack in August while Rose Tattoo was on tour in Europe. The rocker was hospitalized in Germany and the remainder of the group’s 50^th anniversary tour was scrapped, including planned shows in Australia.

With Anderson at the mic, Rose Tattoo enjoyed a string of hits in ‘70s and ‘80s including “Bad Boy for Love,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Outlaw” and “We Can’t Be Beaten.” Rose Tattoo was the quintessential Aussie pub rock band, and induction into the ARIA Hall of Fame came in Rose Tattoo was in 2006, in a class that included Helen Reddy.

Born in Melbourne on Aug. 5, 1947, Anderson spoke of his troublesome relationship with his father and was targeted at school by bullies due to his diminutive stature. Rock ‘n’ roll found him.

Anderson formed Buster Brown 1973 and released an album through Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Records. Two years later, Buster Brown split. Anderson formed Rose Tattoo in 1976 and promptly signed with Alberts, joining a roster that included AC/DC. Although the group disbanded and reunited on several occasions with different lineups, Anderson was always the frontman.

Often clad in leather or a simple singlet, revealing his arms-length collection of tattoos, Angry Anderson always looked hard as nails and as angry as his nickname. But he was a softy at heart. Raised in the school of hard knocks, Anderson was a passionate advocate for disadvantaged young Australians, his work recognized with Anderson made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1993 for services to the community.

Anderson had several movie roles, including a spot alongside Tina Turner in 1985’s Max Mad 3: Beyond Thunderdome, and was a familiar face on Australian TV.  When Anderson was bashing the lights out of Rose Tattoo’s catalog, he could hardly have imagined that his biggest international hit would be a solo ballad, which would be synced to one of the most-watched soap opera weddings of all time. Truth can be stranger than fiction. Anderson’s 1986 solo recording “Suddenly” was the soundtrack to the Neighbours episode where Scott and Charlene, played by Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue, respectively, got hitched.

According to the Australian Film and Sound Archive, the show was viewed by more than 20 million people across Australia and the United Kingdom, and the song would power into the U.K. top 10, peaking at No. 3. Other solo cuts included the inspirational “Bound for Glory,” which Anderson performed during the pre-game entertainment spot for the 1991 AFL Grand Final.

Later in life, Anderson dabbled in politics and courted controversy when he ran as a Senate candidate for the Australian Liberty Alliance, a political party whose platform included placing strict limits on Muslim migration.

Anderson endured the tragedy of losing a son, Liam Anderson, who was fatally beaten in 2018 by a man who was high on drugs at the time. During the court case that followed, Angry Anderson remarked that his family’s life had “changed forever – torn apart, never to be repaired, never to be the same again.”

Fellow ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Marcia Hines led tributes. “I’m saddened to hear of the passing of Angry Anderson. He was one of the most kind and thoughtful guys in Rock and Roll. My deepest condolences to his family and to the guys in Rose Tattoo. Rest in power,”‘ she writes on social media.

Ex-Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach remembers Anderson as a one-off. “Well you’ve lost a true one. They don’t make them like Angry Anderson anymore,” he recounts. “You’re not gonna see the likes of Angry anymore. You left us too soon but that’s because you was too good for us. The most gifted vocalist lyricist performer up until the day you f—ing died.”

Jimmy Barnes, the legendary Cold Chisel frontman, remembers Anderson as a “good man” who was unbeatable in the business of rock ‘n’ roll. “Angry Anderson sang from his heart with power and conviction. But don’t let that tough outside fool you. He was a caring soul who loved his family, cared for his friends and stood up for the downtrodden. As a rock’ n’ roll singer, he was as good as it gets.”

Angry “was a devoted father, and much-loved member of his friends, bandmates and the wider music and entertainment community. His loss will be deeply felt by all those who knew and loved him both here in Australia and overseas,” the Rose Tattoo statement continues.

“The family and band members are asking for privacy at this difficult time and will not be giving interviews. We kindly ask that their wishes are respected as they come to terms with this devastating loss and take time they need to grieve.

“We thank everyone for their prays and messages of love and continued support. With love, The Anderson family and Rose Tattoo Band.  Stay young, grow strong.”

Nene Royal has unleashed her inner Jack White when she needed it the most: the America’s Got Talent grand final.

The teenage Thailand-born singer and guitarist has blown minds throughout the competition, and did so again on Tuesday night (Sept. 22). She brings composure, confidence and craftsmanship to the stage, all of it with a heavy edge. This kid wants to rock.

For her performance in the season 21 finale, Nene reimaged the White Stripes’ classic 2000s number “Seven Nation Army,” grinding that legendary riff into a bludgeon and introducing a fresh guitar solo. The youngster wore a traditional dress, emblazoned with the words “Nene Thailand.”

At the end, the audience stood as one.

Special guest judge KSI was one of the many who gave a standing ovation. “This is the first time I’ve even seen or heard you,” he remarked. “And I am a fan. That was out of this world. You should be so proud.”

Fellow Brit Mel B shared those sentiments. “Well, I’m glad I pressed my Golden Buzzer,” she quipped. “Because not only do you have such mysterious, mystical stage presence, you’re from the best place in the world, Phuket, Thailand…and what you’re bringing to this competition is so unique and you’re only 16 years old. If you don’t win this, I am going to sell Howie’s new house.”

Sofía Vergara said she was confident that the “world is going crazy because there is nothing like you right now, you are unique.”

Howie Mandel spoke last. Nene, he enthused, is “the biggest, most talented, most viral talent to be on that stage…you should win. Give her the million, America.”

Now, America votes. Royal; singer Lai Noelle, who performed “Risk It All“; and the eight other finalists have a nervous wait for the two-hour results finale show, which airs Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Special guests and performers will include Linkin Park, Josh Groban, Lele Pons, REI AMI and Steve Aoki.

Royal picked up the guitar at age seven and has always dreamed of being a “superstar on tour,” she explained during the auditions phase of AGT. She proved on the day that she wasn’t dreaming, by thrashing out an impressive cover of The Cranberries mid-‘90s protest anthem “Zombie.” During the quarterfinals, she nearly blew the roof off with a cover of Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” and earned the Golden Buzzer for her efforts.

Regardless of whether she’s crowned on the results show, Nene admits “my dream has come true.”

Watch her final performance on NBC’s AGT below.

Calvin Harris can’t stop breaking records. The Scottish EDM star spins his way into the record books, this time with a set that’s said to have pulled the biggest-ever crowd by a DJ.

Harris performed to an estimated 1.6 million partygoers in São Paulo, Brazil in February of this year, the largest attendance for a DJ set by a single artist. That’s according to Guinness World Records, which acknowledges the feat and gifted Harris a special certificate.

The DJ and producer played on a float Feb. 8, 2026, transforming Rua da Consolação into an outrageously massive dance party. On the night, his set included his hits “This Is What You Came For,” “One Kiss,” “I Need Your Love” and “We Found Love.”

Harris endeared himself with locals by wearing a Brazil soccer shirt numbered with “00” and emblazoned across the back with “Calvinho.”

“Calvin Harris has spent years creating music that brings people together, so to see that reflected on this scale is really quite remarkable,” comments Will Munford, Official Guinness World Records adjudicator.

“An estimated 1.6 million people came out to be part of his performance in São Paulo, which is an extraordinary achievement and a testament to the global reach of his music,” Munford continues. “We’re delighted to officially recognize him with the Guinness World Records title for the largest attendance for a DJ set by a single artist.”

The dance music giant (real name: Adam Wiles) has notched two No. 1 albums and 11 No. 1 singles in the United Kingdom, dating back to his 2008 collaboration with Dizzee Rascal, “Dance Wiv Me.” No other dance act has more leaders on the Official U.K. Singles Chart.

His collection of career honors include two Brit Awards, an Ivor Novello Award, a Grammy Award, he bagged the most U.K. No. 1 singles in the 2010s (eight), and has the distinction of being the first British solo artist to pass one billion streams on Spotify. Now, in 2026, his combined streams top 56 billion.

Read more on Harris’ latest world record here.

Chris Brown has always had his detractors. He knows. And he doesn’t care.

The R&B star has posted a missive on Instagram Stories in which he dishes out the hate in generous amounts, doubles down on some of the many criticisms that he is attached to, and anoints himself the boss and “the best, hands down.”

Brown goes on full blast, lashing the music industry and celebrities, folks offering “fake love” and, well, the majority of us. At the same time, he reminds us that he’s “the king” – his words — and that he can boss every other music maker that stands before him.

“Not a single artist on this planet can f— wit me on my worst day. I’m tired of being nice. F— yo opinion.” He signs off: “I’ll be the villain.”

Brown’s comments come after he and Usher were on the receiving end of a pair of legislative honors from U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. Venton Jones during the recent R&B Tour stop at AT&T Stadium.

One entered the pair of artists into the Congressional Record, while another officially recognized Brown and Usher’s artistry in the state of Texas.

However, Jones would later backtrack and apologize to constituents for saluting Brown due to his history of domestic violence. Brown had words to say about the u-turn.

“Funny thing is…YALL CAME TO ME WITH THIS! NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND I was minding my damn business,” Brown wrote at the time. “My shows in Dallas were already sold out. I ain’t ask to be honored because I knew some shit like this would happen and @eventionjonestx immediately started tap dancing and apologizing because he didn’t wanna lose voters and support.”

He continued: “I have a great idea.. how about y’all leave me the f–k alone and let me focus on the fans that spent their money to actually see and support me.”

In 2009, Chris Brown pleaded guilty to assaulting his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He was sentenced to five years’ probation and community service. Brown was also forced to undergo domestic violence counseling. 

Years later, in 2021, police received a call for a domestic dispute at Brown’s California residence, but charges were never filed by prosecutors, citing “insufficient evidence.”

Despite the controversies, Brown boasts 125 career titles on the Billboard Hot 100, including 17 top 10s and two No. 1s: 2005’s “Run It!” and 2007’s “Kiss Kiss” featuring T-Pain. Also, he has landed 13 top 10s on the Billboard 200, including three leaders.

Read Chris Brown’s statement in full below.

I’m not your friend
I’m not your buddy
I don’t like majority of you
I don’t want your approval
I don’t want your fake love
I hate the music industry
I don’t wanna participate in this circus.
If it doesn’t benefit my children, I don’t need it.
You will no longer be able to be around me
F— BEING HUMBLE.
F— your agenda
F— your narrative
F— how you feel
I DON’T LIKE NONE OF YOU CELEBRITIES
I AM THE BEST HANDS DOWN
IM THE KING.
IM ON THAT TYPE OF TIMING
NOT A SINGLE ARTIST ON THIS PLANET CAN F— WIT ME ON MY WORST DAY!
They know it. I’m tired of being nice.
F— YO OPINION
ILL BE THE VILLAIN.

Celine Dion is back, and in the finest of form. Australian audiences got a glimpse at the Canadian superstar’s rare talent on Sunday (Sept. 20), when she appeared remotely for an all-star concert celebrating the songs and career of John Farnham.

Dion joined in on the action midway through the show presented at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, and beamed into Hoyt’s cinemas around the country. She had no easy task — performing Farnham’s greatest of all hits, 1986’s “You’re The Voice,” a song regarded in these parts as the “unofficial” national anthem.

“Hello, everyone. I really wish I could be with you there tonight, to celebrate my dear friend John. But I am on my new stage in Paris this week,” she said at the top. “You know, John, you’ve always been such a deep inspiration for me. I always loved to hear you sing. And the way you sang one song, in particular, is one of my very, very favorite performances ever. That’s all. It’s so dear to my heart.”

Dion dueted with Farnham back in August 2018 during her concert in the same venue. On that occasion, they also performed “You’re the Voice.”

“It was such an honor,” she said during the remote rendition. “And at the same time, so much fun, to sing it with you. And that, my friend, is… eight years ago. I know, I think you know this one, very well.”

As previously reported, Farnham, aged 77, was unable to attend the show due to poor health.

Dion, who is battling with stiff person syndrome, a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms, is currently powering through a 16-date comeback residency at Paris’ Plenitude Arena.

The chart-topping star was one of more than 120 artists and musicians who participated in the Songs Of John Farnham: A Living Legend – The Celebration Concert, alongside the likes of Vanessa Amorosi, Tina Arena, Jimmy Barnes, Kate Ceberano, Diesel, Human Nature, Richard Marx, Jessica Mauboy, Jon Stevens, Keith Urban, Mark Vincent, Ross Wilson, and surprise guests Chris Martin and Hugh Jackman.

The 15,000-capacity Rod Laver Arena was a swift sellout, while more than 23,000 Farnham fans packed HOYTS cinemas nationwide, reps say.

Following strong audience demand, the concert, produced by Cochrane Entertainment and TEG Dainty, will return to the big screen for an encore season, featuring a re-edited version.

Watch Dion’s performance below and here.

Niall Horan found a way to bring Liam Payne back into the room during the opening night of his Dinner Party Live on Tour.

During Horan’s Birmingham show on Tuesday (Sept. 22), Payne’s voice filled the arena at the end of “End of an Era,” the closing track from Horan’s fourth solo album, Dinner Party. The unexpected addition gave the song, which was already written as a tribute to Horan’s late One Direction bandmate, a very poignant ending.

In footage shared from the show, Payne can be heard reflecting on the extraordinary rise he and his bandmates experienced with One Direction.

“We thought something might happen, but never anything like this,” Payne says in the recording. “I’m always trying to remind myself of where I came from and where I’ve managed to get to in my life. It’s amazing, really…”

Payne’s voice is played right as “End of an Era” finishes. Horan originally began writing the track years ago, but revised and rewrote it following Payne’s death in October 2024. Horan has previously described the process of transforming the song into a tribute as therapeutic.

“End of an Era” was released as part of Dinner Party, which arrived on June 5. The record debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, giving Horan his fourth consecutive top 10 album on the chart, with Flicker topping the chart in 2017.

The song’s title carries significance given Horan and Payne’s history. One Direction formed in 2010 after Horan, Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik were brought together on the U.K. edition of The X Factor. The group went on to score four No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and six top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 before going on hiatus in 2016.

Payne died at age 31 in October 2024.

Watch the full tribute below.

BMI has launched a free service available to songwriters and composers that helps them navigate and then access the complex and costly range of healthcare options available to them in their local markets. Dubbed BMI Health Connect, the service is a partnership with Gallagher Alternative Health Solutions, an insurance brokerage firm that provides advisory services to BMI affiliates.

The service reviews songwriters and composers’ individual needs and then helps them choose among available health coverage options for medical, vision, dental and other types of insurance. It helps them understand and compare Affordable Care Act Exchange plans, private off-exchange plans and Medicare based on individual needs; assesses whether songwriters and composers and their families are eligible for cost-sharing subsidies; and supports them through the enrollment process.

“Supporting our music creators is at the heart of everything we do at BMI,” BMI CEO Mike O’Neill said in a statement. “We know first-hand from our affiliates that finding the right healthcare coverage can be overwhelming and isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience, especially for music creators and their families. BMI Health Connect was created to help bring clarity to an often-complex process and connect our songwriters and composers with a trusted resource so they can spend less time navigating health coverage and more time doing what they do best — creating the world’s best music.”

The BMI Health Connect page on BMI’s website elaborates that the service “is not an insurance product and [that] BMI does not subsidize, pay for, sponsor or otherwise administer coverage in any way.”

Specifically, when songwriters call the BMI Health Connect line, they will be working with a licensed, credentialed insurance expert from Gallagher who is trained to provide personalized guidance across ACA, Medicare and family coverage scenarios, the website also notes.

“Healthcare is one of the most consequential financial decisions a person makes and it’s often confusing on your own,” Gallagher U.S. Benefits Business leader Robby White said in a statement. “BMI is committed to connecting affiliate members with a real expert, at no cost to their songwriters and composers. Experts, who are trained to listen, ask the right questions and help each affiliate reach a decision that genuinely fits their life.”

The service is already up and running and can be accessed here, or by calling (833) 997-5805. The website’s FAQ on the service provides detailed information on how to get started.

Dead Kennedys guitarist and founding member East Bay Ray has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the band announced Tuesday (Sept. 22).

“Ray says he plans to continue performing and touring with Dead Kennedys for as long as his health allows, and expresses his appreciation to everyone for their continued support,” the band’s management said in a statement posted to the group’s Instagram account.

Ray, born Raymond Pepperell, co-founded Dead Kennedys in San Francisco in 1978 and has remained the band’s sole constant member since its formation. He’s known for the distinctive guitar work that helped define the group’s sound, which blended punk with elements of surf rock and other influences. The band’s influential catalog includes songs such as “Holiday in Cambodia,” “California Über Alles” and “Kill the Poor,” as well as their 1980 debut album Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables.

Despite the diagnosis, Dead Kennedys’ touring plans currently remain in place. The band is scheduled to return to the stage Oct. 6 at The Showbox in Seattle, followed by a performance Oct. 7 at Portland’s Roseland Theater. The group will then play San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom on Oct. 9 with Flipper and The Avengers, before wrapping their scheduled run Oct. 11 at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium in Riverside, California.

The group once disbanded back in 1986 before later reuniting in 2001, with Ray among the founding members who returned to the stage.

Read the full statement from the band’s management below.